Sole molding machines



Sept. 11, 1956 c. J. @Ross soLE MOLDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'iied Nov. 30. 195s.

Inventor Char/e5 J Gross sept. 11, 1956 C. J. GROSS 2,762,067

- SOLE MOLDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 30, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3/ a Eg. 4 55 24 521/672 tor: C//ar/@S J Gross Sept- 11, 1956 l c. J. @Ross 2,762,067 A SOLE MOLDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 30, 1955 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O SOLE MoLDING Macnmsn's Application November 30, 1953, Serial No. 394,989

12 Claims. (Cl. 12-21) application relates to machines for molding articles of leather and similar materials, and is illustrated herein as'4 embodied in a machine for moldingshoe soles although'it should be understood that the invention is not thuslir'nited in its application.

Anobject of the invention is to provide an improved sole molding machine in which soles are automatically fed''fiom aloa'ding vstation into position to be operated upon by apair of cooperating molds, are molded and are -then ejected, the only eort required by the operator being to place the soles in position at the loading station.

In the accomplishment of the above and in accordance with' af'featurev ofthe invention the machine includes a pair of cooperating molds into operative relation to which asol'e 1is fed from the loading station yby a feeding device having-relatively' movable sole engaging j aws which are automatically closed upon the soleupon movement of the feeding device intoapr'edetermined position at the loading station' and which are automatically opened when th'sole is carried by theifeeding device into a predetermined position with respect to the molds.

' To`in's`ur`e" maintaining Ythe proper position. of the sole with respectto'themolds, and in accordance with another feature of 'the'inventiom there is associated with the vmolds"niens' for clamping thej sole against one of the m6lds,`the clamping 4'means being eective simultaneously With the release of the sole from the jaws of the feeding dvicef n n Y The loading stationV is `in the forni of atray having adjustable gages for determining, the position ofthe sole With'rela'tion'to the feeding means, and for the convenience of theope'rat`or the 'tray is located at the front of the maohi. In accordance with a still further feature of thefinvntion a receptacle-for the molded soles 'is also loatd at the front of the machine, the soles being ejected ffnifthelownmold by'meaus associated with the feeding nwile'ic' and 'operativeat the conclusion of the moldingop'efation during movement of the feeding 'device to- Ward-fthe loading station, the sole then moving by gravity into the receptacle.'k

Thab'o've and,I other features of the invention includingva'rious `details `of construction and novel combinations of prfs"'will now be described by reference to the drawings and pointed out inthe claims.

In'fth'e drawings, Y Y

Figi/'1 is -a `si`de elevation of one 'form'of machine in which'the invention is embodied;

Figc` 2 is faffront elevation of a portion of the machine illustrating' Vthe loading stationand the feeding mechanism;

Fig.`i3 is a'fro'nt elevation partly insection of the machine; A n

Figs-1 is'a plan Vview of a portionof the machine illustratingfthe'loa'din'g station and the feeding mechanism;

FigqSV is a section on the line V'-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 isa side elevation of the operating mechanism of the machine-illustrating-'a sole positioned 'between theV moldsgand Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5 but showing the upper jaw of the feeding device in elevated position.

The machine is illustrated as comprising a frame 10 having side walls 12, a bottom 14 and atopwal1'16 (Fig. 3). Carried by the top wall is a female mold 18 with which cooperates a male mold 20 movable toward and away from the female mold, the molds being properly shaped to impart the desired contour'toasole'to which pressure is applied when the male mold 29 is in its upper', most position and being long enoughrto mold the' sole throughout its entire length. Either orboth of the molds 18 and 20 may be formed of rigid or resilient material but preferably the mold 20 is formed of metal and the mold 18 is formed of hard rubber.

Extending forwardly from the machine frame 10 is a bracket 22 on the forward portion of which is supported a tray 24 providing a loading station to receive a sole S which is to be operated upon. lSuitable gages are carried by the tray 24 so that the sole is positioned inra predetermined relation to the molds 1S and 20. As illustrated herein these gages may comprise a fixed gage 26 engageable with the edge of thesole in thevicinityV of theV ball line, an adjustable toe gage 28 and an Vadjustable side gage 30 located for engagement with the edge of the sole the vicinity of the ball line at the other side from the gage 26. It will be obvious thatgages 28 and r30ers; readily adjustablev by the operator according tothe siz'e of sole to be operated upon and are held in adjusted positions by wing nuts 31.

The rear end of the Vtray .24 has a step-down portion 32 providing a space belowjthe heel end of the` sole'to receive the lower jaw 34 (Fig. 7) of a feeding' device 36, The jaw 34`extends laterally from a'slide '38 having'aT- sloty 40 to receive a correspondingly-shaped bar. 42 extending forwardly and rearwardly `of themachine and secured to one of the side walls 12.` The feeding'rdevi'ce includes a movable jaw 44pivoted at 46 to theslide 38 and having a tail portion 48 against' which a spring Stlflseat'e'd in a recess in the slide 38 acts normally to 'move the jaw 44 toward the jaw 34 kto grip the heel end of the 'sole .therebetween. i l l Y A latch 52 (Fig. 5) is'piovidedV for holding the jaw in the position shown in Fig] against the action of the spring 50 except when the feeding device is carryingra sole rearwardly frornftheYV tray 124 intoposition between the ino-lds 18 and Ztl. The latch 52 ispivoted at 5 4 to the slide 38v andlis urged byl a spring-.56 in *a* counter?. clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 so that with the jaw 44 moved against' the vaction of the spring -50 into position shown inFig. 7, a shoulder 58 (Fig. vk5-)-of the latch52 engages the top surface of" the tail portion 48 fof the jaw 44. With the feeding `'device moved Vforwardly into the position shown in Figj4 the Ylower end of the latch 52 engages an adjustable stop yscrew 60 carried by a bracket 62 secured tothe bracket 22 whereupon the latch is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig: 5 against the actionl of the spring., 56 so kthatthe-upper jaw 44 is moveddgnwardly bythe spring 5) toclamp the heel end ofthe solebetween the upper and lower jaws of the feeding device. l Y p n Upon rearward movement of the feeding device nby mechanism to be described, the sole S is carried into a position above the lower mold 20 as :shown in Fig. 6 and it is desirable that ,when the Y sole isv properly posi,-` tioned withrespect to the'mo'ld 20 itfshould be clamped thereto Vand simultaneously therewith Athe 'jaw 44 moved upwardly to release thelsole. As willfbe' explained, *the` lower mold 20 moves upwardly lduring the feeding' movementk of the sole from the Vtray 24Vandwhen the'soleif reaches the position 'shown ov'anadjnstfa" e screw 64 carried by the'mold 20 engages fa laterally extending ear 68 carried by the movable jaw 44 to move the jaw f- ..-aveaoe'r A w upwardly against the action of the spring' 50 in which position it is held by the latch 52 unti1 the feeding device returns to its forward position.

At the same time that the sole is released by the feeding device, it is clamped iu position by a plunger 70 depending from the upper mold 18 and extending upwardly through the mold, its upper end being guided by a cylinder 72 carried by the top of the machine. A spring 74 (Fig. 6) acts between the top of the cylinder and the upper end of the plunger normally to urge the plunger downwardly to a position determined by engagement of a shoulder 76 `near the upper end of the plunger with the top 16 of the machine frame. Upon upward movement of the lower mold 20 to operate on the sole S, the plunger 70 moves upwardly compressing the spring 74 until its lower end movesinto the lower surface of the mold 18.

For moving the lower mold 20 vertically and the feeding device 36 horizontally, an electric motor 78 carried by the bottom 14 of the machine frame 10 'is provided. The shaft of the motor is connected by a belt 80 to a pulley 82 on a shaft 84 carrying a worm 86. This Worm drives a worm gear 88 fast on a crankshaft 90 the ends of which are journaled in-bearings 92 formed in the side walls 12 of the machine frame. Secured to the shaft 90 is a cam 94 having a cam track 96 (Fig. 6) in a face thereof which receives a cam follower 98 carried by an arm 100 of a bell crank lever-102. This lever is carried by a shaft 104 extending laterally of the machine and carried by one of the side walls 12. The bell crank lever 102 includes an upwardly extending arm 106, the upper end of which is connected by a link 108 to the slide 38 by which the jaws 34, 44 of the feeding device are carried. The crankshaft 90 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6 and upon movement through an angle of approximately 45 from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 6, the feeding device moves from its forwardmost position into the position of Fig. 6 'in which the sole is carried into the position illustrated between the molds 18 and 20 to be operated upon by the molds.

As shown in Fig. 3 the shaft 90 has a crank portion 110 to which is connected one end of a linkl 112 (Fig. 6), the other end of which is connected to the knee of a. toggle composed of links 114 and 116. The lower toggle link 114 is carried by a shaft 118 carried by the side walls 12 of the machine yframe and the upper end of the toggle link 116 is pivoted at 120 to a vertical slide member 122 carrying the lower mold 20. The lslide member 122 extends transversely of the machine frame as shown in Fig. 3 and is guided foi-'vertical movement by vertical ribs 124 formed on the inner faces of the sides 12 of the machine frame, the slide member 122 being provided with vertical recesses to receive the ribs 124. The shape of the cam track 96 and its relationship to the crank portion 110 `of the shaft 90 is such that the lower mold 20 reaches the position shown in Fig. 6 to clamp the sole S between the mold 20 and the plunger 70 just as the sole Vhas moved into the desired relation to the upper and lower molds for the molding operation. The screw'64 carried by the lower mold 20 is adjusted to move the upper jaw 4,4v out of engagement with the sole at the same time that the sole reaches the position shown Ain Fig. 6 so that the feed device can continue moving rearwardly or to the left as shown in' Fig. 6,- without carrying the sole S with it.V Y. j i,

Upon continued clockwise movementof' the crankshaft 90 the toggle 1714, 116 straightens Yfurther to Amove the lower mold 20 and the sole VS clamped thereto upwardly into engagement with the upper mold18 to`impart the desired shape to the sole. The mold 20thenY moves downwardly and the feeding device starts moving forwardly andV after the sole S is carried out of contact with the plunger 70 the sole is pushed forwardlyrfrom the lower mold 20 whence it is guided by-a chute 126 '-rFig." 1)` vinfofalrep'mie 12s carni-.ity asaeif'fiso For pushing the sole oil at the front of the machine. the lower mold 20 the slide 38 of the feeding device carries a laterally extending supporting bar 132 (Fig. 6) for a strip 134 of rubber Vor yother suitable material depending from the bar 132. The strip 134 extends downwardly below the lower jaw 34 of the feeding device and it will be understood that during the return movement of the feeding device the lower mold 20 and the molded sole S carried thereby will be moving downwardly so that'the jaws `of the feeding device clear the highest portion of the mold 20. `However, during this forward movement of the feeding device, the'rubber strip 134 contacts the molded sole pushing it forwardlyV with respect to the mold 20 whereupon it is carried by the chute 126, into the receptacle 128. The chute 126 is carried by a bracket 136 secured to the front face of the vertical slide 122.

From the above it will be seen that the mold 20 is continually reciprocated up `and downk and the feeding device is continually moved rearwardly and thenforwardly in time relation to the movements of theglower mold 20. Consequently it is necessary for the operator merely to place the work pieces one at a time on the tray 24, the proper location of the work pieces being facilitated and insured by the gages26, 28 and 3ft-carried by the tray. The feeding device engages therheel end of each sole, moving the sole rearwardly into a prede-` termined position between the molds whereupon the sole is clamped and released from the feeding device and then subjected to heavy molding pressure following which i Vthe molded sole is moved forwardly-into the receptacle 128 and the feeding device moves forwardly to engageY another sole which in the meantime has been placed on the tray 24. With this arrangement there is no danger to the operator of having his lingers caught between the molds 18 and 20, the entire operation being automatic except for the placing of the soles in a loading position on the tray 24 and the finished work Vis deposited in` the receptacle 128 in a position not far ,removed from .the loading station but convenient to the operator.

sole when the sole is positioned between the molds,V the feeding device does Ynot interfere with moldingthe sole throughout its entire length.

Having thus described my invention what I claim` as i new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lowerv molds, means for moving Vone of said molds verticallyy into and out of operative relation to the other mold, a sole feeding'device reciprocable along a pathv extending lengthwise between said molds and terminating beyond the opposite ends of the molds, said feedingrdevice including relatively movable sole engaging jaws, means for reciprocating said'device along said path, means for clos-V ing said jaws in response to movement of said device into one extreme position along said path, and means operated by said movablemold for opening said jaws in the movement of said device toward the other Yextreme position when the sole carried thereby isvin a-predetermined position relatively to said molds. 1

2. In a sole molding machine, spaced upperand lower molds, means for moving one of said molds vertically .Y

into and out of operative relation to the-other mold, a sole feeding device reciprocable along Va path extending lengthwise lbetween said molds and tenninatingjbeyondA Because the feeding device moves out of engagementpwith the ejecting member associated with said-feeding device and operative upon movementof said device toward said` one extreme position to move the sole from the lower mold.

3. In a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds, means for moving one of said molds vertically into kand out of operative relation tothe other mold, a sole feeding device reciprocable along a pathextending lengthwise between said-molds and terminating'beyond the opposite ends of the molds, said-feeding device including relatively movable sole'engaging jaws, means for reciprocating said device along saidpath, means for closing saidv jaws in response to movement of said device into one extreme position along said path, means. operatedby said movable mold for opening said jaws in the movement ofsaid device toward the other eXtreme position when the sole carried thereby is in a predetermined position relatively to said molds, and means operable simultaneously with said last-named means for clamping the sole to said lower mold.

4. In a machine for molding aesolethroughout its entire length, spaced upper and lower molds of a length suicient to mold lanv entire sole, means for moving one of said molds into and-out of operative relation to the other mold, a loading trayV at the front of the machine, gages associated with said'tray for locating a sole in a predetermined*position thereon, means for feeding the sole rearwardlyV from said tray into a predetermined posi- `tion between said molds, a retractable plunger extending through one of said molds for holding the sole in said position against the other mold, a receptacle at the front of the machine, and means operative at the conclusion of the molding operation for moving the molded sole into said receptacle.

5. In a sole molding machine, a loading tray at the front of the machine, spaced upper and lower molds in line with and spaced rearwardly from said tray, means for moving one of said molds toward and away from the other to mold a sole placed therebetween, a feeding device movable between said molds from a position forwardly thereof adjacent to said loading tray to a position rearwardly of said molds, said feeding device comprising means for gripping a sole on the loading tray and for moving the sole rearwardly into a position between said molds, means for releasing said gripping means when the sole is moved into a predetermined position between the molds prior to completion of movement of the feeding device into its rearward position, and means associated with said feeding device for moving the sole forwardly of said molds upon forward movement of the feeding Vdevice at the conclusion of the molding operation.

6. In a sole molding machine, a loading tray at the front of the machine, spaced upper and lower molds in line with and spaced rearwardly from said tray, means for moving one of said molds toward and away from the other vto mold a sole placed therebetween, a feeding device movable lbetween said molds from a position forwardly thereof adjacent to said loading tray to a position rearwardly of said molds, said feeding device comprising means for gripping a sole on the loading tray and for moving the sole rearwardly into a position between said molds, means for releasing said gripping means when the sole is moved into a predetermined position between the molds prior to completion of movement of the feeding device into its rearward position, means associated with said feeding device for moving the sole forwardly of said molds upon forward movement of the feeding device at the conclusion of the molding operation, a receptacle at the front of the machine, and a guide for directing the molded sole into said receptacle.

7. In a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds, means for feeding a sole from a loading station into a predetermined position between said molds, a drive shaft, means operated by said drive shaft for moving one of said molds into and out of operative relation to the other mold and for moving said feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding means including Arelatively movable normally closed work gripping jaws, alatch for holding the jaws open, means operative upon'movement of said-feeding means into said loading station for -releasf ing the latch whereupon said'jaws close, and means movable with said one of said molds lfor openingfthe jaws at apredeterminedtime in the movement of the feeding means .torelease the sole from the feeding means permitting movement of the feeding means beyond the molds without moving the sole therebeyond.

8. In'a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds,-means for feeding a-sole from a loading station into a predetermined position between said molds, a-drive shaft, means operated by saiddrive shaft for moving the lower mold into and out of operative relation to the other mold and for moving said feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding .means including relatively movable normally closed work gripping jaws, a latch for hold# ingithe jaws open, means -operative upon movement of said feeding means into said loading station for releasing said latch whereupon said jaws close, means movable withthe-lower mold for opening the jaws at a predetermined timein the movement of theffeeding` means to release the soleV from the feeding means permitting movement of the. feeding means beyond themolds'without moving the soleY therebeyond, and a retractable plunger extending downwardly throughtheupper mold and arrangedto clamp the sole against the-lower mold upon opening the jaws of the feeding means.

9L Ina sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds, means for feeding a sole from a loading station into a predetermined position between said molds, a drive shaft, means operated by said drive shaft for moving the lower mold into and out of operative relation to the other mold and for moving said feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding means including relative movable normally closed work gripping jaws, a latch for holding the jaws open, means operative upon movement of said feed ing means into said loading station for releasing said latch whereupon said jaws close, means movable with the lower mold for opening the jaws at a predetermined time in the movement of the feeding means to release the sole from the feeding means permitting movement of the feeding means beyond the molds without moving the sole therebeyond, a retractable plunger extending downwardly through the upper mold and arranged to clamp the sole against the lower mold upon opening the jaws of the feeding means, and means operative upon return of said feeding means toward the loading station to move the molded sole from the lower mold, said means comprising a exible member engageable with the upper surface of the mold and with the sole thereon.

l0. In a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds, a loading tray carried by the machine forwardly of said molds and in substantial alinemcnt therewith, gages carried by said loading tray for locating a sole in a predetermined position thereon, means for feeding a sole from said loading tray into a predetermined position between said molds, a drive shaft, means operated by said drive shaft for moving the lower mold into and out of operative relation to the upper mold and for moving said feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding means incuding relatively movable normally closed sole gripping jaws, a latch for holding the jaws open, means operative upon movement of said feeding means to a position adjacent to the loading tray for releasing said latch whereupon said jaws close to grip a sole carried by the tray, and means movable with the lower mold for opening the jaws at a predetermined time in the movement of the feeding means to release the sole from the feeding means permitting movement of the feeding means rearwardly beyond the molds without moving the sole therebeyond.

11. In a sole molding machine, spaced upper and lower molds, a loading tray carried by the machine forwardly of said molds and in substantial alinement therewith, gages carried by said loading tray for locating a sole in a predetermined position thereon, means for feeding a sole from said loading tray into a predetermined position be tween said molds, a drive shaft, means operated by said drive Yshaft for moving the lower mold into and out 'of operative relation to the upper mold and for moving said feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding means including relatively movable normally closed sole gripping jaws, a latch for holding the jaws open, means Voperative upon movement of said feeding means to a positionv adjacent to the loading tray for releasing said Y latch whereupon said jaws close to grip a sole carried by the tray, means movable with the lower mold for opening i the jaws at a predetermined Vtime in the movement of the feeding means to release the sole from the feeding means permitting movement of the feeding means rearwardly beyond the molds without moving the sole therebeyond, and a retractable plunger extending downwardly through the upper mold for engaging the sole and clamping `it against the lower mold simultaneously with the opening of the jaws.l i

l2, In a sole molding machine, spaced upperand lower feeding means in timed relation thereto, said feeding means including relatively movable normally closed sole gripping jaws, a latchfor holding the jaws open, means Y operative upon movement of saidfeedingmeans to a position adjacent to titel-loadingv tray for releasing said latch whereupon `said jaws close towg'rip` a sole carried by the tray, means movable withV theylower mold for opening the'jaws at a predetermined'time in the movemolds, a loading tray carried by the machine forwardly Y of said molds and in substantial alinement therewith, gages carried by said loading Vtray for locating a sole in a predetermined position thereon, means for feeding a sole from said loading tray into a predetermined position between said molds, a drive shaft, means operated by said drive shaft for moving the lower mold into and out of operative relation to the upper mold and for moving said ment of the feeding means to release the sole from .the

feeding means permittingmoveme'nt of the feeding means rearwardly beyond the molds without moving the sole therebeyond, a retractable plunger extending downwardly through the upper mold for engaging the'sole and clamping it against the lower mold simultaneouslyY with the opening of the jaws, and means associated with said feeding means for moving the sole forwardly from the lower mold at the conclusion of the moldingroperation during movement of the feeding means toward the loading tray.

References Cited in the le of this patent vUNITED STATES PATENTS 

